Digital Detox Without Unplugging Completely 

Digital Detox

Digital detox is a term that refers to a period when a person voluntarily refrains from using digital devices such as smartphones, computers, and social media platforms.  Excess tech use may be getting in the way of your wellness. The purpose of a digital detox is to reduce stress, improve focus on real-life social interactions, have better sleep and enhance well-being.

However social media is not completely bad; As we are living far away from friends and family social media has many positives — connect with family member is just a FaceTime away, and we do get constant updates of our loved ones without waiting for their availability.

We asked our psychiatry doctors at DocIndia.org about the impact of social media and heard that -- “Excessive use of media and especially social media can take away time from activities such as sleep, exercise, and in person socializing, which are more important for your immediate mental health. We may be ignoring our loved ones who are closer to us while focusing on people who may never talk to us.”

A research review noted that frequent technology based social media use has been linked to impaired emotional and social intelligence,  addiction to technology and fear of social isolation, impaired brain development, and disrupted sleep in some cases.

Not only that, but there’s the added pressure of feeling like we need to present the perfect version of ourselves and our lives online. It can feel overwhelming and exhausting. That's where a social media detox comes in.

Other research suggests, that social media use can help you build and maintain connections when you’re more actively interacting with others but tends to have the opposite effect as it is used passively, such as scrolling through an Instagram or Facebook feed without interacting with any other human being.

A social media cleanse offers a temporary break, free from social media platforms and the non-stop comments, likes or chats. Try for a few days or weeks to put down your phone and regain your time and mental balance. No more staying up too late scrolling on social media channel till our eyes are tired but body refuses to sleep due to mental activity.

Try a few tricks recommended by DocIndia Doctors for limiting screen time and avoiding FOMO (fear of missing out). Our doctors will schedule an appointment with you if you need more personalized guidance. Believe us you can really benefit from it and would be able to regain your productivity and improved confidence. With guidance and some planning, you can quickly unplug from your social media addiction and reconnect with what truly matters most.

Excessive addiction to technology driven passive social media can lead to

• Strain on your relationships with loved ones.

• Excessive mood swings as your patience becomes shorter.

• Time management issue – Not giving due attention to your work or your child as you are losing time while on social media. This could also lead to trouble at work or school.

• Emotionally absent in your day-to-day life – too much mental diversion can lead to a decreased sense of presence and engagement in your real-world experiences. Many mothers have sat next to their very young kids but do not interact with them. In some cases it has led to child developmental issues.

• Extreme addictions - Compulsively checking your phone for new updates, likes, or messages is problematic. It will lead to picking up your phone without thinking, especially during inappropriate times like meetings or family dinners.

• Neglecting Health – Increased time spent on your online presence will force your physical wellbeing to take a back seat. Lack of exercise time or other activities will have further detrimental effects on your health.

• Sleep Deprivation – Not only your productivity decrease, but you also remain tired as many people use social media as tool to kill time before sleep. It’s widely known that the blue light emitted by phones and tablets can interfere with melatonin production, the hormone responsible for sleep. But did you know that social media is also a cause of sleep difficulties!

How to do a digital detox

If you're ready for a digital detox challenge but aren't sure where to start, schedule an appointment with one of our psychiatrists. They are experts in providing the right medical advice on habit changes. The goal is to create boundaries that ensure you're using technology in a way that benefits and works for you.

Set realistic goals.

A digital detox can be anything you decide it to be. It can be going to ashram for ten days meaning complete refraining from using any type of technology, or just limiting daily limit. The most important thing is to follow the goal and make sure whatever you want to achieve is realistic. Help from educated psychiatrists and behavioral experts can go a long way to keep up motivation. For example, if your job requires you to be in front of a computer screen most of the time, it may not be wise to set a goal that won't allow you access to your computer. Instead, you can opt to set a time limit on non-work-related apps.

Create healthy boundaries and habits.

Majority of time disconnecting completely from technology isn't possible, but setting boundaries is a great way to limit how much time we spend on screen.

Here are some ideas of other times you can create limits for:

• Good sleep habits: Cutting off screen time 30 minutes to 1 hour before bed. Smartphones were designed to keep us alert, so the last thing we want is to force our brains with more information.

• Avoid screen time while at a family event or dinner table: If you want to get the most out of family time, try to avoid any distractions. While eating, you may not be aware of how much you are eating and miss your body's cue that it is full because your mind is focused on highly engaging screen activities. Instead, try to engage with your kids, spouse, or other loved ones. Have discussions about the day or practice mindful eating and savor every moment of your meal.

• Be present while at a gathering or family event: It's good to keep your phone away or silent when socializing and spending time with people. When you limit your distractions, you can have deeper and more meaningful conversations.

• Find a hobby or occupy yourself with things that nourish your mind and body: Som any activities which can help – Playing cards with family, walking after dinner, Volunteer at local temple or other spiritual places or School. Cook new recipes or start writing journal. Go for coffee with a friend. Read a new book.

Build boundaries and incentive as well as penalty system.

Whatever goal you have agreed with yourself, you need to create an environment to keep up the motivation and avoid distractions, here are a few helpful tips, you could use to get better control.

·         Schedule down downtime: Fix a time duration for the social media screen time. Keep away the phone in a place where you can hear the ring, but you are not bother by constant pop ups or dings of notifications.

·         Silent the notifications: Silent the notification of unnecessary WhatsApp groups or Facebook messengers. Let your friends know that if they urgently need you, they must call or send an SMS.  

·         Incentivize or punish yourself based on the results: This is hard but does work, for example you can setup a goal of limiting screen time. Every day when you meet your Goal, you may deserve a small treat like Ice Cream or whatever you like. Similarly, build a punishment system. Find an activity which you believe will be good for your health, but you hate it. So, for everyday you miss your goal you need to do that activity for 15 minutes.

Consider Reaching Out to a Mental Health Professional

We are all using technology constantly, and it may be hard to avoid it without external help. Even though we may know what the right thing is to do but may need external push. If you are not able to build boundaries or all the efforts are failing, it may be time to seek professional help. If you feel that going to psychiatrist will hurt your image or your self-esteem; you are wrong. However, you can try the telehealth appointment with a psychiatrist from a different state and all the conversation and interaction will be kept confidential.

Be patient with yourself.

 Deciding to disconnect from the digital world can make you feel anxious or even scared of missing out on important things, and it's okay to feel that way. As the days go by, you'll start to feel better about yourself and have a deeper understanding of your relationship with technology. Take the time to enjoy being present and do things that bring you happiness.